I had to close the Substack 😞

I did the maths with the taxation agent and I spend at least 2,148.50 AUD on services to just run the podcast including host, recording/editing software, instagram reels maker, live streaming software, and the website. These alone are a big outlay and with me and my partner, her and I are trying to build a house and a home for our kids so I had to cutback on expenses to help pay for the mortgage and unfortunately RBL talk had to make some sacrifices. There will be no changes to the way most people listen to the show and it actually gets streamlined for the better.

It’s why I’m shutting down the substack more on that below. Please go join the free Patreon teir if you're subscribed to the substack, you'll even get the occasional freebie (episode early or ad-free or something I haven't decided exactly what freebies will come when they do but you'll not want to miss it.)

• Podcast Host: Captivate to Spreaker.

Captivate have been so good to me and I can never thank them enough they got me into my podcasting journey and assisted with setting everything up how to do things including monetisation and so much more but unfortunately I just can’t afford to pay the host every year as I run the podcast at a negative loss it all comes out of my own pocket.

• Recording/editing software: Descript to Riverside.

I’ve used riverside before and it’s a good service but I found Descript that can import the audio file and publish everything with just a few clicks and editing was a breeze with the transcription editor which riverside does actually have plus it can do more things for me so here’s another below.

• Live streaming software: Evmux to Riverside.

Riverside has a new plan called riverside live which means I can live stream still to all the same places so no issues there it just isn’t and won’t be as customisable as evmux. I can still highlight your comments on the screen which is a must but we will lose the live chat and a few other things on the custom layout I made. In the end the streams won’t look as “flashy or polished” but they will still do the job and will make to sure it has the RBL Talk polish you’ve all come to know and expect.

• Podcast news: Substack to Patreon.

So this is the saddest one to be honest as I enjoyed the substack and the platform but Patreon has a free section so I can still post the podcast admin news like this and monthly thank you to members posts on substack. There is a free tier which will forever be free and you’ll get the occasional freebie episode ad free to listen to in the Patreon app as a free member of the RBL Talk Members. Paid subscribers from captivate with their private RSS feeds have been comped by me at my expense for the stuffaround via a refund each month for 3 months. I know a couple of you had declined as you understood the reasoning behind the changes but I didn’t feel right and will be comping you anyway.

• Instagram reel maker: Headliner Video to Recast Studio

Making waveforms if the podcast really helps expand in shorts and reels when I can't do video and bring in a guest. I know Instagram followers enjoy these little snippets as well. They'll still be done but just may not look the same.

• Podcast website: Podcast Page to Carrd.

Podcast page is fantastic it allowed me to do so much and expand as I needed but now I realise from what web analytics show me is that I just need a landing page that has pretty much all the information I need on it with some links similar to link tree but more professional. Carrd allows me to have a website and a more polished site like a linktree a simple landing page. Spreaker will now handle the RB Leipzig club news as the postcast host allows you to write posts as well so make sure to check it out or follow it on spreaker to get the latest RB Leipzig club news along with the podcast in the same feed.

The total savings I make doing all this is over 1,276.23 AUD per year depending on exchange rates and this is more than enough to help cover the new mortgage if we get approved and lastly thank you for taking the time to read this post/email I appreciate you all and I look forward to see you on stream in the general end of season chat show on Monday at 8pm CET across all the usual live watch along platforms and at the start of next Bundesliga season.

• Justin Croser, Host of RBL Talk